Global Telework

He gets some wise guy grief from a few of his friends, John Kuc says. They go on about what a free and easy time he has of it – lolling around the house all day, working when he feels like it, kicking back, no stress, no problem.

"We think some (law) firms will jump out ahead and realize some significant cost savings" through offshore outsourcing, said Michael Short, vice president in the Washington, D.C., office of legal consulting firm Hildebrandt International. "In the highly competitive world of law firms, that’s going to require countermoves."

If you’re seeking to relocate, consider targeting areas where the average commute time is minimal.

“Ultimately, young people are going to go or stay where there are good jobs, and firms going to grow or stay where there are good people,"

"Companies realize they will soon be faced with a mass exodus of their most qualified people," says Donna Wadleigh, manager of member services at YourEncore.com. By tapping into the new networks, she adds, "companies can bring back highly skilled people that provide value immediately."

The stampede to outsource over the past few years has trampled more than one company.

It’s a rare industry in which companies are not searching for ways to trim payrolls and improve control over their staff, which today may include telecommuters, flex-shift employees, and overseas workers all putting in hours at different locations. "With many businesses having trouble finding qualified workers and facing heightened competition, workforce management software provides a relatively painless was to track down and eliminate needless expenditures," says David O’Connell, a senior analyst at technology research firm Nucleus Research. "The software also allows businesses to standardize rules and procedures across different work sites."

As contracting out work has become the norm for many companies looking to cut costs and gain efficiencies, the number of virtual businesses cropping up to fill those needs is climbing dramatically, experts say.

The good news is that as small businesses outsource more of their administrative tasks and employers seek ways to slash overhead, there’s a tremendous opening right now for independent contractors to find work.

"I would hire tomorrow if I had the candidates." While many say they plan to hire more workers in the coming months, they also say it is getting harder to find qualified candidates because they can’t afford to live here.